Swedish In One Easy Lesson
by Jeremys Angel
Summary: Jed's POV of past moment with Abbey and present fun with staff.


Disclaimer - Only borrowing these characters for some fun.  
  
Archive - If you wish just let me know where.  
  
Feedback - Good or bad. Happy or sad. Bring it on.  
  
Background - Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet. Nobel Prize. Stockholm. Sweden. I'm swedish so why this didn't come to me sooner I'll never know.  
  
Pairing - Josiah/Abigail.  
  
Thanks to - Marie (especially for the title) and non West Wing fan friend Kelley.  
  
Rating - G  
  
  
  
Swedish in One Easy Lesson  
  
  
  
Stockholm. Beautiful city...charming; walking hand in hand with Abbey had made it all even better. He remembered that day clearly. Until the night before, they had hardly spent any time alone. In fact, most of that trip had been spent talking to others, interviews and gatherings. How he had survived he wasn't sure. It had been a great day...  
  
"Would you stop?" She jokingly slaps my arm.  
  
"What did I do?" Seriously, what did I do? I was only walking here.  
  
"You've been grinning like an idiot ever since we left the hotel."  
  
Ah, that. "It's not every day one gets a Nobel Prize," I smirk back at her.  
  
"That was yesterday. You smiled like an idiot then as well...even after we were back at the hotel."  
  
"Hey, I heard no complaints about the goings-on after we got back to the hotel." Moaning, yes...begging, yes...but complaining, no.  
  
"I'm surprised we didn't get complaints; we weren't exactly quiet."  
  
We exchange another smile as we continue to take in the beauty that is Stockholm; why haven't we been here before?  
  
"Wanna learn some Swedish?" I suddenly ask her.  
  
"If I say no, you'll teach me anyway right?"  
  
"Of course." Like that would stop me. "Now, what should we have for dinner tonight?"  
  
"Am I supposed to answer that in Swedish?"  
  
"Just go with me," I find myself pleading as we cross the street.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Jag vet inte."  
  
She tilts her head; I love it when she does that.  
  
"I just said 'I don't know' in Swedish."  
  
"Very nice, babe."  
  
Yeah, wasn't it though?  
  
"Three-word sentences, both of them. If you take away the second word in 'I don't know,' you have....?"  
  
" 'I know.' "  
  
'What else, my dear?' I think but don't voice it. Aloud, I continue. "Precisely. However, in Swedish, to get the same meaning you take away..."  
  
"The middle word?" She stops walking to look at me.  
  
I grin, knowing she would say that. "No. One takes away the last word."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yep; jag vet." I am smiling like an idiot again, I'm sure, as she slaps my arm and we start walking again. "You know, in our language, the number six and the word sex are two different words; but in Swedish, they have one word for both : sex."  
  
"You only brought that up because you have a dirty mind, Josiah Bartlet."  
  
True; I did. "You've never complained. Besides, yours is just as dirty, my dear." I say as I lean closer to nibble on her ear.  
  
"Touche; stop that!" She pushes me away gently but is giggling; it fills my heart like music.  
  
"Alright. But in the hotel room, I'm continuing this; just be warned," I whisper in her ear.  
  
"You mean later, since we are meeting Jenny and Leo for lunch?"  
  
"Right." That had slipped my mind. Wait; what if...? "You know, we could have time for a nooner." I am rewarded with a laugh.  
  
"Maybe; if you're good."  
  
"Aren't I always?" I wink at her.  
  
  
  
"Sir? Mr President?"  
  
Huh? Oh damn. "Yes. Sorry about that; I'm back."  
  
"Must have been some great memories," Josh stated rather than asked.  
  
Why would he say that? Oh, I'm smiling like an idiot, aren't I? "Yes; very nice. OK, we were talking about...." What were we talking about?  
  
"The minister from Sweden...?" CJ answered.  
  
Ah; so that's why those memories came up. "Right." I'm guessing the knock on the door is Charlie and call out in response. "Yeah." When the door opens, I'm surprised to see Abbey; surprised but delighted.  
  
"I only want a second," she apologizes as she walks over to me. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," I smile back at her and watch as she leans over to whisper in my ear. Damn woman; she knows what that does to me.  
  
"I have cleared some time for you and me in an hour. The Residence," she says and I shiver. Noticing, she kisses my cheek. "See you there."  
  
I watch her walk away as she smiles to the staff; some of them are looking down at the floor. You'd think they'd be used to this by now. I can't let her get to me like this and not return the favor. "Abbey..."  
  
She turns...God, what is it that makes me catch my breath every time I look at her?  
  
"Yes?" she asks innocently. Innocent indeed.  
  
I smile. "Jag skulle kunna ta dig, her och nu, pa bordet."  
  
I look at her, and it doesn't take her long to understand. She winks at me, and then she is gone. So even without perfection on two letters, she understood. Well, Swedish does have three more letters in its alphabet...so if I'm not perfect, I think that's pretty damn good anyway. I return my gaze to the staff and see Sam. Now, who is grinning like an idiot? He sees me looking at him.  
  
"Swedish, Sir?"  
  
Oh shit. I can see he knew what I'd told Abbey; by the look he is exchanging with the others, they will know as well as soon as they leave.  
  
"You speak Swedish?" I ask in my best voice.  
  
"I have picked up a few lines." He is still grinning. It seems one of those just happens to be the one I just told my wife. I nod.  
  
"So, why don't you tell the good people here, who I'm sure would love to know, what I just said to my wife?" He is glancing around the room now, avoiding eye contact; got him!  
  
"Sir, I..." he tries but fails miserably.  
  
"Oh, come on now, Sam. You were going to say something anyway as soon as you were all out of the Oval, weren't you?" They are all looking at him now. He is not very comfortable anymore. Good.  
  
"I...I..."  
  
I have never been a patient man. "Just say it, Sam!" I order loudly.  
  
"Yes, Sir. 'I could take you here and now on the table...' Sir."  
  
I smile and see the hidden ones on the rest of my staff. However, it's not over for Sam just yet.  
  
"As interesting as that sounds, Sam, " I coolly reply, "I'm afraid you're just not my type."  
  
Sam turns red as the others laugh uncontrollably; even Toby has a smile on his face. Looks like I got the last laugh. My work here is done...almost.  
  
"OK, so let's get back to this, shall we?" I wave the papers in my hand.  
  
Papers are shuffled as the laughter subsides. Sam takes his seat, and I watch as CJ nudges him playfully; Leo is still laughing. Sam will be hearing about this for a few days now. That will teach him for trying to mess with me. Still, I make a mental note to never speak Swedish in front of my staff again.  
  
Only to my wife.  
  
~The End~ 


End file.
